Clarity

The winds blew yesterday, creating waves in Lake Erie and clearing this little inlet lake of the pond scum. Last night it was like a sheet of glass. 

The wind continues to blow this morning and a trail of green scum is drifting back into this corner. Off in the distance I am watching a large white bird, possibly a great white heron, or a juvenile great blue. It has black markings on its wings and long yellow beak. It could be an egret, but I’ve been told that there are white herons here, the locals call them night herons.  It is too far away for me to see it clearly, even with binoculars, A juvenile great blue will have lighter legs than an egret and more feathery breast. It’s arrival this morning, the first time in the twelve days I’ve been here is curious. According to animal spirituality the presence of an egret signifies completion and prosperity. This stately white bird, heron or egret, has arrived but no sign of the great blue heron that has been here every day for the last week. This sabbatical is surely a spiritual retreat, a mystical time, the veil between this realm and the next has lowered. My head is clearer, I feel rested. A week from today I head home, this gift of time and place will be over, but for now I will be still and embrace it. 

Yesterday I played with my daughter and grand babies. They drove the hour south of where we live and spent the day with me. We went to the beach, a small public beach in Luna Pier, an old resort town on Lake Erie, about 11 miles north of Toledo, Ohio. The kids had never been to a beach, never sate in water with waves. My grand-daughter was excited until she saw the huge expanse of water and the waves, then she was afraid. She is child whose every emotion is clear and on the surface, she has strong feelings, there is nothing subtle about her. I carried her onto the beach and once we had settled the beach umbrella and blankets, I walked with her until I feet were just in the water. She was delighted by the waves. Soon I had her sitting down and feeling the waves wash over her. She shrieked with delight, pure joy.

Before long she was chest high in the water, “body” surfing the waves. At least that was the intention as she tried to time her jumps to meet the wave crashing into her. She loved every minute. Little guy, Mr. GG loved it too. Lovely day. 

They headed home mid-afternoon and I spent a little time working on my second icon. I drew this one by hand, basing it on an image I found on Pinterest. The original would probably be considered a modern icon, not painted in a classical Russian, Greek, or Coptic style. I drew and painted it a little more traditional style, although my drawing skills are rudimentary and my self taught painting skills are definitely those of a novice. Nonetheless, I kind of like this anyway: Theotokos holding the toddler Jesus, each with a subtle smile instead of the look of pending doom that most icons of the mother and child have. Mothers and infants or toddles smile at one another. Like my grand-daughter’s squeals of delight, no matter what life holds children point us to what is possible, toward the future and the idea that with God anything is possible.